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Woodlands Academy stages musical version of children's classic 'A Little Princess'

"A Little Princess," a musical by Brian Crawley and Andrew Lippa, will be presented this weekend at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart.

Performances are in the Susan Saint James Performing Arts Center at Woodlands Academy, 760 E. Westleigh Road, Lake Forest, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3; Friday, March 4; and Saturday, March 5.

The musical, based on the 1905 children's novel "A Little Princess" by Frances Hodgson Burnett, premiered in summer 2004 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in California.

It's the story of Sara Crewe, a little girl with a big imagination. When things go badly for her at the London boarding school to which she's been sent, Sara's imaginative powers come to the rescue - helping to transform a drab institution into a place of magic and mystery. But in the process she draws the ire of Miss Minchin, the gloomy headmistress. Sara is made a servant to the institution when her father is reported dead and his fortune seized. She counters all Miss Minchin's best efforts to degrade her with the grace and virtue of a little princess.

" 'A Little Princess' has turned out to be an ideal show for our Woodlands Academy girls," said director Shannon Walsh, who teaches English and theater classes at the school. "The energy of the show is contagious as their singing fills the halls walking from class to class during the school day. The girls can't help but be excited to bring the magic and imagination of this show to life."

Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door and can be reserved by contacting the school at (847) 234-4300 or visiting www.woodlandsacademy.org.

Woodlands Academy freshman Maeve Anger, left, and junior Jerusalem Adams-Shepard rehearse a scene from the musical "A Little Princess." Courtesy of Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart
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